9 a.m. Sunday - FSU issues a press release officially announcing the hire of David Johnson ----
David Johnson Hired As Running Backs Coach, Recruiting Coordinator
The New Orleans native has coached multiple All-Americans and two bowl MVPs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – David Johnson has been named Florida State’s running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, head coach Mike Norvell announced Sunday.
“I’m so very excited to announce the hiring of David Johnson as our running backs coach and recruiting coordinator,” Norvell said. “Coach Johnson is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had the opportunity to be around throughout my career as a player or coach. He is a remarkable teacher and mentor who has tremendous versatility in knowledge and skillset developing players at the running back and wide receiver positions. As a former high school head coach, he brings great insight and is a great evaluator of talent that has translated extremely well to the collegiate and pro level. He has been one of the nation’s top recruiters and does a great job of building relationships throughout the process.”
Johnson, who has spent the last two seasons at Tennessee, reunites with Norvell after coaching on his Memphis staff in 2016 and 2017. Johnson also brings Division I experience from Tulane and before that spent 12 years as a high school coach in New Orleans around a four-year stint at Millsaps College.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to working with Coach Norvell again to help place FSU back on top while being able to recruit in the best state in the nation.”
Tennessee improved from four wins the season before Johnson arrived to eight wins and a Gator Bowl victory in 2019. He coached the Vols’ wide receivers in 2018 before moving to running backs in 2019, leading a group that produced five 100-yard rushing games.
Eric Gray broke UT’s single-game true freshman rushing record with 246 yards against Vanderbilt, a total that ranked fifth on the Vols’ all-time list. Nationally, it was the ninth-highest single-game total, and highest by a true freshman, in 2019. Gray was named Gator Bowl MVP after recovering an onside kick and scoring the game-winning touchdown 30 seconds later. The 2018 team ranked sixth in the SEC with an average of 7.9 yards per catch and had four different receivers average more than 14.0 yards per reception, led by Josh Palmer’s 21.04 average.
In his two seasons at Memphis, Johnson was the Tigers’ wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He developed former walk-on Anthony Miller to consensus All-America honors in 2017 after Miller led the NCAA with 18 receiving touchdowns and ranked third in the country with 1,462 yards and fifth with 96 receptions. Miller was then selected 51st overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Memphis concluded the 2017 season ranked second in the country with an average of 45.5 points per game, fourth with 523.1 yards of total offense per game, sixth with a passing efficiency rating of 160.15 and seventh with an average of 335.0 passing yards per game.
The 2016 season was Miller’s breakout year as he re-wrote Memphis’ single-season records with 95 catches, 1,434 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers would all improve in Johnson’s second season working with Miller. The 2016 Tigers ranked 14th in the country with 304.4 passing yards per game, and their 38.8 points-per-game average was 15th.
Johnson joined Memphis after four seasons as Tulane’s running backs and tight ends coach. In 2014, he coached a Freshman All-American at each position as running back Sherman Badie led the Green Wave with 688 rushing yards and tight end Charles Jones caught 21 passes for 192 yards and a team-high three touchdowns. The 2013 team advanced to the program’s first bowl since 2002 and Orleans Darkwa was named MVP of the New Orleans Bowl after rushing for three touchdowns. Those three scores pushed his season total to 12, tied for the third-highest single-season output in program history, and allowed him to tie former NFL running back Matt Forte for the Tulane record with 39 career rushing scores.
From 2005-08, Johnson coached wide receivers, tight ends and special teams while also serving as the recruiting coordinator at Millsaps College. While there he helped lead the Majors to three consecutive SCAC championships and set the program up for a fourth straight in 2009.
Johnson was the head coach at St. Augustine High School from 2009-11. He led the Purple Knights to district titles in 2010 and 2011, earning the district’s Coach of the Year honor in 2011. In his first season he developed defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, who earned consensus All-America honors and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a Heisman finalist in 2011 at LSU. He also coached two-time USA Today High School All-American running back Leonard Fournette at St. Augustine, laying the foundation for a consensus All-America performance in 2015 and two All-SEC selections while at LSU before being drafted fourth overall in 2017 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Johnson served as offensive coordinator at John F. Kennedy High School and O. Perry Walker High School. He helped direct O. Perry Walker to three straight district championships and the 2002 state championship game while coaching All-American Craig Davis, a first-round selection by the Chargers in 2007 after winning a national championship at LSU, and Mike Wallace, who was taken in the third round in 2009 out of Ole Miss.
A two-time all-conference player at Nicholls State, Johnson led the Colonels in receiving in 1992 and 1993. He totaled 50 receptions for 990 yards and eight touchdowns in those two seasons and also served as a punt returner for Nicholls.
Johnson graduated from Nicholls State in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in general education. He and his wife, Akeia, have three children, Jermaine, De’Von and Karaaz.
David Johnson Coaching History
2020- Florida State Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2019 Tennessee Running Backs Coach
2018 Tennessee Wide Receivers Coach
2016-17 Memphis Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator
2012-15 Tulane Running Backs and Tight Ends Coach
2009-11 St. Augustine High School (La.) Head Coach
2005-08 Millsaps College Wide Receivers, Tight Ends and Special Teams
Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2000-04 O. Perry Walker High School (La.) Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers and
Tight Ends Coach
1997-99 John F. Kennedy High School (La.) Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers and
Tight Ends Coach
3:15 pm Saturday -- It's done. Johnson is taking the FSU job.
"I just really appreciate everything that Tennessee did for me," Johnson said. "They have a support base and not a fan base. They support like nobody else. The biggest thing it came down to me was I needed to put my son in the best position and it's closer to home for my wife. She can get home much easier at FSU.
"I'll always cherish the memories I made at Tennessee. The walk in the stadium was priceless. Even in tough times, the people never left us. It will always stand out to me. Those are the things that I will remember."
Story from Tennessee's Rivals site, with quote from Johnson
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1:25 pm update — The Tennessee Rivals site is reporting that Johnson has gotten another offer from UT and is mulling it over. Sounds like it will be FSU in the end, but not 100 percent done yet. We’ll let ya know what else we hear.
————-
As the whole world, other than some folks at UT, expected:
Norvell finishes coaching staff with hiring of Vols RB coach
David Johnson Hired As Running Backs Coach, Recruiting Coordinator
The New Orleans native has coached multiple All-Americans and two bowl MVPs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – David Johnson has been named Florida State’s running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, head coach Mike Norvell announced Sunday.
“I’m so very excited to announce the hiring of David Johnson as our running backs coach and recruiting coordinator,” Norvell said. “Coach Johnson is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had the opportunity to be around throughout my career as a player or coach. He is a remarkable teacher and mentor who has tremendous versatility in knowledge and skillset developing players at the running back and wide receiver positions. As a former high school head coach, he brings great insight and is a great evaluator of talent that has translated extremely well to the collegiate and pro level. He has been one of the nation’s top recruiters and does a great job of building relationships throughout the process.”
Johnson, who has spent the last two seasons at Tennessee, reunites with Norvell after coaching on his Memphis staff in 2016 and 2017. Johnson also brings Division I experience from Tulane and before that spent 12 years as a high school coach in New Orleans around a four-year stint at Millsaps College.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to working with Coach Norvell again to help place FSU back on top while being able to recruit in the best state in the nation.”
Tennessee improved from four wins the season before Johnson arrived to eight wins and a Gator Bowl victory in 2019. He coached the Vols’ wide receivers in 2018 before moving to running backs in 2019, leading a group that produced five 100-yard rushing games.
Eric Gray broke UT’s single-game true freshman rushing record with 246 yards against Vanderbilt, a total that ranked fifth on the Vols’ all-time list. Nationally, it was the ninth-highest single-game total, and highest by a true freshman, in 2019. Gray was named Gator Bowl MVP after recovering an onside kick and scoring the game-winning touchdown 30 seconds later. The 2018 team ranked sixth in the SEC with an average of 7.9 yards per catch and had four different receivers average more than 14.0 yards per reception, led by Josh Palmer’s 21.04 average.
In his two seasons at Memphis, Johnson was the Tigers’ wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He developed former walk-on Anthony Miller to consensus All-America honors in 2017 after Miller led the NCAA with 18 receiving touchdowns and ranked third in the country with 1,462 yards and fifth with 96 receptions. Miller was then selected 51st overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Memphis concluded the 2017 season ranked second in the country with an average of 45.5 points per game, fourth with 523.1 yards of total offense per game, sixth with a passing efficiency rating of 160.15 and seventh with an average of 335.0 passing yards per game.
The 2016 season was Miller’s breakout year as he re-wrote Memphis’ single-season records with 95 catches, 1,434 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers would all improve in Johnson’s second season working with Miller. The 2016 Tigers ranked 14th in the country with 304.4 passing yards per game, and their 38.8 points-per-game average was 15th.
Johnson joined Memphis after four seasons as Tulane’s running backs and tight ends coach. In 2014, he coached a Freshman All-American at each position as running back Sherman Badie led the Green Wave with 688 rushing yards and tight end Charles Jones caught 21 passes for 192 yards and a team-high three touchdowns. The 2013 team advanced to the program’s first bowl since 2002 and Orleans Darkwa was named MVP of the New Orleans Bowl after rushing for three touchdowns. Those three scores pushed his season total to 12, tied for the third-highest single-season output in program history, and allowed him to tie former NFL running back Matt Forte for the Tulane record with 39 career rushing scores.
From 2005-08, Johnson coached wide receivers, tight ends and special teams while also serving as the recruiting coordinator at Millsaps College. While there he helped lead the Majors to three consecutive SCAC championships and set the program up for a fourth straight in 2009.
Johnson was the head coach at St. Augustine High School from 2009-11. He led the Purple Knights to district titles in 2010 and 2011, earning the district’s Coach of the Year honor in 2011. In his first season he developed defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, who earned consensus All-America honors and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a Heisman finalist in 2011 at LSU. He also coached two-time USA Today High School All-American running back Leonard Fournette at St. Augustine, laying the foundation for a consensus All-America performance in 2015 and two All-SEC selections while at LSU before being drafted fourth overall in 2017 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Johnson served as offensive coordinator at John F. Kennedy High School and O. Perry Walker High School. He helped direct O. Perry Walker to three straight district championships and the 2002 state championship game while coaching All-American Craig Davis, a first-round selection by the Chargers in 2007 after winning a national championship at LSU, and Mike Wallace, who was taken in the third round in 2009 out of Ole Miss.
A two-time all-conference player at Nicholls State, Johnson led the Colonels in receiving in 1992 and 1993. He totaled 50 receptions for 990 yards and eight touchdowns in those two seasons and also served as a punt returner for Nicholls.
Johnson graduated from Nicholls State in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in general education. He and his wife, Akeia, have three children, Jermaine, De’Von and Karaaz.
David Johnson Coaching History
2020- Florida State Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2019 Tennessee Running Backs Coach
2018 Tennessee Wide Receivers Coach
2016-17 Memphis Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator
2012-15 Tulane Running Backs and Tight Ends Coach
2009-11 St. Augustine High School (La.) Head Coach
2005-08 Millsaps College Wide Receivers, Tight Ends and Special Teams
Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2000-04 O. Perry Walker High School (La.) Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers and
Tight Ends Coach
1997-99 John F. Kennedy High School (La.) Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers and
Tight Ends Coach
3:15 pm Saturday -- It's done. Johnson is taking the FSU job.
"I just really appreciate everything that Tennessee did for me," Johnson said. "They have a support base and not a fan base. They support like nobody else. The biggest thing it came down to me was I needed to put my son in the best position and it's closer to home for my wife. She can get home much easier at FSU.
"I'll always cherish the memories I made at Tennessee. The walk in the stadium was priceless. Even in tough times, the people never left us. It will always stand out to me. Those are the things that I will remember."
Story from Tennessee's Rivals site, with quote from Johnson
---
1:25 pm update — The Tennessee Rivals site is reporting that Johnson has gotten another offer from UT and is mulling it over. Sounds like it will be FSU in the end, but not 100 percent done yet. We’ll let ya know what else we hear.
————-
As the whole world, other than some folks at UT, expected:
Norvell finishes coaching staff with hiring of Vols RB coach
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